Pulis hopes for Stoke respect

11 May 2009 09:14

Tony Pulis has admitted that it has been difficult for Stoke to gain respect this season but he is not too concerned by other people's perceptions.
The Potters secured their Premier League survival with a 2-1 victory at Hull City over the weekend and they are set to finish in mid-table.
Pulis is proud of the achievement after Stoke were written off at the start of the season as likely candidates for relegation.
The team's direct style of play has not always received praise but Pulis hopes that opponents now have some admiration for them.
He is not going to dwell on the matter too much, however, as he believes it could prove counter-productive.
"I'm not worried what people think or what goes on outside of Stoke-on-Trent," he said in The Times.
"Too many people worry about what other people say and you can drive yourself insane.
"We've always believed that if we stuck together and got the backing of supporters, we would be fine.
"We played on the underdog tag at the start of the season. The supporters jumped on it and have been with us all the way.
"I hope we've earned more respect now, but if we haven't it won't affect us or change anything."